Memorial Circle, the proposed plot of land close to Memorial Bridge the place the Independence Arch may very well be constructed is seen in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026.
Nathan Howard/AP
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Nathan Howard/AP
A gaggle of Vietnam Conflict veterans and a retired architectural historian have filed a federal lawsuit looking for to dam building of a proposed monument close to Arlington Nationwide Cemetery.
The lawsuit, filed Thursday within the U.S. District Courtroom for the District of Columbia, challenges President Trump’s plans for “Independence Arch,” a 250-foot construction proposed for Memorial Circle.
The plaintiffs, represented by Public Citizen Litigation Group, name the proposed plan a “vainness challenge” that will disrupt considered one of Washington’s most symbolically charged sightlines between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington Home, a view designed to evoke nationwide unity after the Civil Conflict.
Vietnam veterans Michael Lemmon, Shaun Byrnes and Jon Gundersen imagine the construction would “dishonor their army and overseas service” by intruding on a solemn view they go to commonly, in accordance with the grievance.
The arch might additionally “pose a hazard to air journey at close by Reagan Nationwide Airport,” the plaintiffs argue. At 250 ft, the proposed arch would stand greater than twice the peak of the Lincoln Memorial and sit immediately on the ceremonial axis that anchors the capital’s monumental core.
The lawsuit names Trump, senior White Home officers and the Nationwide Park Service (NPS) as defendants. It alleges the plan violates a number of federal legal guidelines, together with the Commemorative Works Act, the Nationwide Environmental Coverage Act and the Nationwide Historic Preservation Act.
NPR reached out to the White Home and NPS for remark concerning the lawsuit however haven’t acquired a response.
Administration officers have framed the proposal as a part of a broader effort to commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary with new monuments and public works initiatives highlighting American historical past and army service.
White Home spokesman Davis Ingle mentioned in an announcement to The Washington Submit the arch “will improve the customer expertise at Arlington Nationwide Cemetery for veterans, the households of the fallen, and all Individuals alike, serving as a visible reminder of the noble sacrifices borne by so many American heroes all through our 250-year historical past.”
Ingle additionally mentioned Trump “will proceed to honor our veterans and provides the best Nation on earth America the glory it deserves.”
The plaintiffs additionally argue that approval has not been granted and that required environmental and historic preservation opinions haven’t been accomplished. Beneath the Commemorative Works Act, memorials constructed on federal land in Washington typically require authorization from Congress.
Authorized opposition to the challenge follows a separate lawsuit by the Nationwide Belief for Historic Preservation over plans for a privately funded ballroom rather than the White Home East Wing.
